H.E. Mr Frédéric Labarrère Permanent Representative of the Principality of Monaco, and H.E. Ambassador Fernando Arias, Director-General of the OPCW
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—17 November 2022—The Government of the Principality of Monaco has voluntarily contributed €10,000 to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The contribution will be used to support OPCW’s activities related to the Syrian Arab Republic. Monaco’s contribution aims at assisting the full elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons programme and clarification of facts related to the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. In particular, the contribution will be used to support the work of the Declaration Assessment Team (DAT) and the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM).
The voluntary contribution was formalised on 16 November 2022 in a signing ceremony held between the Permanent Representative of the Principality of Monaco to the OPCW, H.E. Mr Frédéric Labarrère and OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Fernando Arias at the OPCW’s Headquarters in The Hague.
Ambassador Labarrère remarked: “With this new contribution, the Principality of Monaco wishes to continue its support to the strengthening of the activities of OPCW against chemical weapons.”
The Director-General stated: “I express sincere appreciation to Monaco for its continuing support to the OPCW’s mission to permanently eradicate chemical weapons. This contribution will support the OPCW to continue its work on the Syrian chemical weapons dossier and to uphold the norms and principles of the Chemical Weapons Convention.”
Background
Monaco has been an active member of the OPCW since the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force in 1997.
The Declaration Assessment Team was established in 2014 to engage the relevant Syrian authorities to resolve the identified gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies in the Syrian declaration.
The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission was set up in the same year in response to persistent allegations of chemical weapon attacks in Syria, with the task to establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals for hostile purposes.
As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, the OPCW, with its 193 Member States, oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons. Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997, it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction.
Over 99% of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been destroyed under OPCW verification. For its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons, the OPCW received the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
More Information
- Photos of the event
- Monaco at the OPCW
- Syria and the OPCW
- Declaration Assessment Team (DAT)
- Fact-Finding Mission (FFM)